Toilet flushing mechanism



Dec. 8, w STANLEY TOILET FLUSHING MECHANI SM Filed'Sept. 29, 1941 INVNTOR. Y fit/f ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 8, 1942 UNHTED STATES rem" OFFICE TOILET FLUSHINGMECHANISM Walter Stanley, Chicago, 111., assignor to Catherine Stanley,Chicago, 111.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved toilet flushing mechanism and hasfor one of its principal objects the economical production of a highlyefficient and easily operated device consisting of a limited number ofassociated parts.

Toilet flushing mechanisms have invariably given considerable trouble tousers because of the limited life of various parts of the units orbecause of their difficult and hard operating fea-' tures.

Various types of flushing mechanisms employ a lever principle whereinforce is applied to the short arm of the lever for raising or openingthe valve attached to the long arm of the lever. Children and women haveinvariably found this type of mechanism to be extremely difficult tooperate. Additionally, the force required to operate such units causesundue wear on parts thereof. Consequently, such devices are efficientfor limited periods only.

To overcome hard and difficult operation constructions incorporating achain operated over a sheave have been brought forth. Theseconstructions have not proved satisfactory or efiieient for eithermanufacturers or users. It has not been found feasible or expedient toconstruct movable parts as sheaves from high priced, noncorrosive,non-rusting metals. Consequently,

- structures having such movable parts quickly rust or corrodesufiiciently to make them inoperable. Then, too, constructions having aswingable sheave are diificult to align. If aligned when the chain isslack operation of the handle pulls them out of alignment, and suchmisalignment causes excessive wear on the moving parts. Additionally,sheaves are usually secured to a cross rod frictionally secured to theinterior wall of the tank. The rod thus secured exerts a considerablestrain on the walls of the tank and occasionally causes breakage. I Thepresent invention overcomes the objectionable features of previousconstructions and provides a highly eiiicient unit which may be operatedby rotating the handle in either direction. Additionally, a singlesecuring member only is necessary to fasten the improved device of thisinvention within a flush tank. The securing member may be fastenedthrough the operating aperture provided in conventional flush tank.Consequently, the device may be used on present type tanks without anychanges whatsoever be ing made or it may be embodied in newconstructions. A further object of advantage and importance i of theimproved device of this invention resides in the segmentally shapedrigid supporting member which is adapted to extend diagonally from thefront interior wall of the tank to facilitate alignment of theassociated parts with the outlet in the bottom of the tank. This memberprovides a rigid support for a guide member.

Another and still further important object of advantage resides in theprovision of means for adjustably securing a segmentally grooved guidemember on a supporting member in a manner which aligns each end of theoperating chain with the associated parts secured thereto. The

guide member when positioned is rigidly secured against independentmovement.

A still further object of advantage and importance resides in theprovision of means whereby the grooved guide member may be easilyadjusted by persons not skilled in the particular art to which thedevice appertains without the use of special tools or equipment.

An additional object of importance resides in the provision of means formaintaining the grooved guide member in alignment with the valve and thevalve operating mechanism when the chain is either slack or taut.

Additional objects of advantage and importance will become apparent asthe following detailed description progresses reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of aflushing mechanism, which embodies the invention, positioned in a tank,portions of which are broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational viewof a flushing tank, portions thereofbeing broken away, showing a slightly modified construction.

Fig. 4 is a slightly enlarged detail of the operating mechanismconstruction, parts thereof being broken away.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral l8 indicates generally a flush tank. The flushtank may be of convenvalve l8. The ball valve l8 may be of conventionalconstruction and have a guide standard extending upwardly therefrom.

Adjustably secured to the overflow pipe l6 and having parts thereofoperably associated with the guide standard 20 is a guide 22. The guide22 is adapted to maintain the ball valve I8 in vertical alignment withthe outlet l4 during the opening and closing of the outlet.

Positioned on the guide standard 20 and adapted to extend thereabove isa link member 24. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the linkmember an eyelet on one end and a hook on the other end to facilitateattachment to associated parts. The link member 24 and the guidestandard 28 are preferably associated to allow limited independentmovement of the associated parts.

Rigidly secured in the aperture l2, preferably by means of a, threadednut 26, is a hollow thimble 28. The thimble 28 is preferably providedwith a squared shoulder 29 adjacent one end thereof. Positioned on thesquared shoulder 29 of the thimble and being interposed between the nut26 and the interior surface of the tank II] is a supporting member 38. Aportion of the supporting member 38 is adapted to engage the interiorsurface of the tank I8, as is best shown in Fig. 2. The intermediateportion of the supporting member 30 is offset. A portion of thesupporting member 38, adjacent the free end thereof, is curved away fromthe interior surface of the tank. This portion of the supporting member38 extends substantially diagonally of the tank to facilitate alignmentof the part with Y outlets positioned in various locations.

Adjustably positioned on the curved portion of the supporting member 38is a segmentally grooved guide member 32. The guide member 32 ispreferably, although not necessarily, constructed of a plastic or othernon-rusting, noncorrosive material. The guide member 32 is provided witha segmentally shaped groove 34 through which a chain, or the like, mayrun and also with a segmentally shaped groove 36 through which thesupporting member 30 extends.

Operably associated with the guide member 32 is a securing screw 38. Thesecuring screw 38 extends into the groove 36 and provides a means forsecuring the guide member 32 to the supporting member 30.

Extending through the thimble 28 is a shaft 49. The shaft 48 is providedwith a handle 42 on one end thereof and a squared shoulder 44 on theopposite end thereof.

Secured on the squared shoulder 44 preferably by means of a' screw 46 isa lever 48. The lever 48 is adapted to rotate with the shaft and thehandle 42.

Secured to the free end of the lever 48 is a chain 58. The chain 58extends through the segmental groove in the guide member 32 and isconnected to the hooked link 24. Operation of the handle 42 moves thelever 48, the chain 50,

and the ball valve 58, thus opening the outlet The supporting member 52may in Fig. 3, the guide member 32 may be rigidly secured in its properposition. The guide member may be aligned with the ball valve and thisalignment maintained both when the chain is taut or slack.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that herein is provided anefficient and substantially fool-proof device of the kind referred to.Moreover, because the guide member and supporting member may be rigidlysecured in position, wear due to vibration and misaligned parts isgreatly reduced.

It will also be apparent that because the device of this inventioncomprises relatively few movable parts the device may be economicallyproduced and marketed.

It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art to which theimproved device of this invention appertains that numerous changes inconstruction and design may be made without departing from the spirit or'scope of the invention. Accordingly, the patent granted hereon is notto be limited to the specific embodiments here shown or in any othermanner except as is necessitated by the terminology of the appendedclaims when given the range of equivalents to which they may beentitled.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a toilet flushing mechanism, a flush tank having valved dischargeoutlet, a supporting member positioned within said flush tank, saidmember being secured against independent movement, a guide member havinga segmentally shaped groove in its peripheral surface adjustablypositioned on said supporting member, said guide member being securedagainst movement as a connecting member is moved thereover, an operatingmechanism secured to a wall of said flush tank, said mechanism includinga handle positioned exteriorly of said wall and a lever positionedinteriorly of said wall, and a connecting member extending from saidlever through said segmental groove and being attached to the valve insaid valved outlet.

2. In a toilet flushing mechanism, a flush tank having valved dischargeoutlet, an operating mechanism receiving aperture near the top of saidtank, a hollow thimble extending through In the modified form of theinvention shown 7 said aperture, one end of said thimble being providedwith a flange, the opposite end of said thimble being threaded, asquared shoulder formed on said thimble adjacent said threaded end, asupporting member positioned on said squared shoulder and being securedagainst independent movement, a portion of said supporting memberparalleling one wall of said tank and a portion thereof curved outwardlytherefrom, a guide member having a segmentally shaped groove in itsperipheral surface adjustably positioned on the outwardly curved portionof said supporting member, an operating shaft extending through saidhollow thimble, said shaft having a. handle positioned thereonexteriorly of said wall and a lever positioned exteriorly of said Wall,and a connecting member extending from said lever through said segmentalgroove and being attached to the valve in said valved outlet.

3. In a toilet flushing mechanism, a flush tank having valved dischargeoutlet, an operating mechanism receiving aperture near the top of saidtank, a hollow thimble extending through said aperture, one end of saidthimble being provided with a flange, the opposite end of said thimblebeing threaded, a squared shoulder said guide member being fixed againstindependent movement, a shaft rotatably positioned within said thimbleand extending therebeyond, an operating handle secured to one end ofsaid shaft, a lever secured to the other end of said shaft, and aconnecting member extending from said lever through said segmentalgroove and being attached to the valve in said valved outlet.

WALTER STANLEY.

